I think the whole thing has become out of hand and is just another horrible import from the usa. Mercifully we're remote enough for it not to be an issue.
We're also too remote to have to worry nowadays but in our previous house it was a nightmare. We were on the main street and marauding bands of teenagers would call and would chuck eggs and flour at windows and cars if they were not rewarded - even if it was because we were out for the evening. The local shop had to close early to try to limit their supplies of egg and flour.
In our Belgian village the primary school organised a Halloween party for the kids and this involved turning up in costumes and visiting a list of houses who'd agree to take part. Some just had a few pumpkins whilst others went the whole hog and had witches, grim reapers in their front gardens and even horrors and ghouls in their garages or outhouses. The police patrolled discreetly to make sure no big hollies made trouble and then everyone ended up back at the school for soup and beer or wine.
We were never bothered being 2kms outside the village.
It doesn't happen here. Not a French thing. i believe the origins are actually in European Catholic emigrants to the US, especially the Irish. It has Gaelic roots from Celtic traditions absorbed into the Church calendar.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
We did it as very rural children in Suffolk in the 50/60s ... but we did it with hollowed out sugar beet as lanterns and old paper animal feed sacks made into disguises
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think the whole thing has become out of hand and is just another horrible import from the usa.
Agreed. I like Halloween as a traditional event but the Americanised worship of disposable plastic tat 'holiday' just ruins it and social media is making it even worse There's a Romanian lady who works in the local Asda and she was telling me all about the way they mark the event with candles on the graves of loved ones and a happy remembrance of lost family members which just sounds so much closer to a proper Halloween than what we've ended up with. I'll happily hand out sweets to whoever knocks the door though and most kids around here are very polite.
Don't get me started on 'bonfire night' either
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
That sound more like Alll Saints day round here and in Belgium. People clean up the family graves, leave flowers - usually huge pots of chrysanths - and some light candles or lanterns too.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I'm one of those po-faced, killjoy Christians who regards Hallowe'en as a celebration of evil. What's wrong with celebrating All Saints' Day, as is done in other countries? I'm also with those who think it's a little unwise for children to be knocking at strangers' doors.
I'm one of those po-faced, killjoy Christians who regards Hallowe'en as a celebration of evil. What's wrong with celebrating All Saints' Day, as is done in other countries? I'm also with those who think it's a little unwise for children to be knocking at strangers' doors.
I'm one of those annoying agnostics that regards the Christian appropriation of pagan festivals as more evil than the evil they preach as wrong in the first place.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Not to get embroiled in a religious dispute but I have to say that Samhain starts at sunset, so, technically is a celebration of what Christians choose to call All Saint's Day as well as the eve of same.
As to the appropriation of other culture's festivals - not going there at all.
As to the crass commercialisation of any 'special' event - not going there either.
"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it." Sir Terry Pratchett
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Mercifully we're remote enough for it not to be an issue.
We were never bothered being 2kms outside the village.
It doesn't happen here. Not a French thing. i believe the origins are actually in European Catholic emigrants to the US, especially the Irish. It has Gaelic roots from Celtic traditions absorbed into the Church calendar.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
As to the appropriation of other culture's festivals - not going there at all.
As to the crass commercialisation of any 'special' event - not going there either.